Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-12
1876 YEARS OLD.
There IS a Negro In Santa Rosa. Mexico,
Who Claims to Have Attained this Age.
s.. Iouis IIlObe- DemOcrat

D. LOUIS tILODS- democrat.
James James, g negro and ci.izen OF
the United States, who resides st Santa
Il )sa, Mexico, is probably the Oldest man
on earth. He was born ear Dorchester,
S. c., in 1852, and while an infant was
rmoved to Midway River, Ga, in the
same year that Franklin brought down
electricity from the thunder clouds. In
l7;2 there was quite an immigration. into
South Carolina, and his master, James
james [jrOm whom ne takes his namt =,
moved near Charleston, S. Gin com
pany with number Of his neghaprs. On
June 4, 1776, when twenty-four vesrs OF
age, large British fleet under SiTPster
Parker, arrived of Charleston. The,
citizens had erected pslmett6
wood fort on Sullivan's islandi
with twenty six guns, manned.
by 500 troops, under Colonel MouItrieI
sud June % the British made an attack
by lasd and water, and were CompellehtS
withdraw after ten hours conflict. 1t
was during this fight that Sergeant Jas-,
per distinguished himself by replacing
the flag, which had been shot away upon
the bastion, on new staff. HIS master,
JAMES James, manned one of the guns in
sketch, with four other slaves, were en-
ployed around the fort as general labor
ers. Jim followed his mA9ter throughout
the war, and was with GaGeral Moultrie
at Port Royal, S. c., February 3, l77g,
when Moultrie defeated the combined
forces of Provost and Campbell. His
master was surrendered by General Lin
coin at Charleston, S. c., on February j.,
70 10 BRIT fnrcaG a.
Jim's military career,
lie remembers of the rejoicing in 1892
throughout the country in consequence Of
Wsshingtons election to the Presidency,
he then being forty years OF age. In this
year his first master died, aged about
sixty years. jim then became the pro-
owning large estates, about thirty slaves
near Charleston. On account of having
raised "Marse Henry" jim was special
fsvOrite with his master, and was allowed
to do as he chose. His second master,
Henry, died in 1915, htty-fve years of age,
and jim, now st sixty-three years OF age,
became the property of James James,
Henry's second son. In 1886, the rail
road from Charleston to Savan nah wss
completed, then the longest railroad in
VIC NO11Nt 0hNN u III Win LIS llds lClI kOOh
trip over the read, and was
shown special fayors on account
Ct his age, now eighty-oEe. James
James was ten years of age at
his fathers Geath, and when he became
Of age inherited large estates, slaves,
etc, among whom were Geld Uncle jim"
aud his family. James James lived in
South Carolina until 1855, when he moved
to Texas with al his slaves. James de
sired that his slaves should be free at his
death, and il 1875 moved into Mexico SO
that they could be free before his death
James returned to the United States and
died IN Texas, and in 1865, after there
were no longer slaves in the United
States. Uncle Jim's children and grand
children returned to the United States
Five years ago, n the age of $50, Jim
could do light chores, but subsisted most
~ by contributions from the citizens, but
for the past TWO years, not being able to
walk, he remains for the most part in his
little jsCkal, his wants being supplied by
generous neigh5Ors. The rheumatism in
his legs prevents him from walking.